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Our Boy5 of Qo/r^papy 1^ 



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Otl^er patriotic poems 



By 



/Idelbert QlarK 



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Our Boys of Company K 



AND 



OTHER PATRIOTIC POEMS 



BY 

ADELBERT CLARK 



LACONIA, N. H. 

PRESS OF THE NEWS AND CRITIC 
1898 






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\ 2605 

Copyright, i8g8. 
BY ADELBERT CLARK. 




TWO COPIES RECEIVED. 




Jo \:\)e Boy5 of <;p/r\pai7y 1^, u/l^o left }4o/i\e, f[\ot\}er, 
U/if(^ apd C^l^ildrep for tJ7(^ \)OY)or of t}?eir (;oai7try, 
tf^is littlt^ booK is iQseribed by 

Jl?(? /latl^or. 



Our Boys of Conr)p2vny K. 



up the crowded street they came 

In army blue and gray, 
And God looked down and blessed them 

Our boys of Company K. 

With firm, steady steps they moved, 

With muskets at their side, 
While hope and courage urged them 

To battle's roaring tide. 

The sun never shone more fair 
On hearts both stanch and true, 

Than on the brave, noble lads, 
In army's gray and blue. 

Still within each honest heart 

A tinge of sorrow lay, 
As on that morn 'neath azure skies 

From friends they marched away. 



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But they followed Christ's example, 

And who shall dare to say 
That Christ is not the leader 

Of our boys of Company K ? 

The people cheered and cheered them, 

With eyes bedimmed with tears; 
Even the aged sought them, 

Though bowed with weight of years. 

And when the train steamed away 

' Mid flags in grand array, 
Many a blessing followed them — 

Our boys of Company K. 

Farewell brave lads, 'till Cuba 

Once more shall raise her head. 
And thine own hands have stanched the blood 

That stains her garments red. 

' Tir the dawn of peace unfoldeth 

Her mantle through the fray ; 
Then, all the world shall hail thee — 

Heroes — in Company K. 



7 
A Dying Sailor^5 Vision, 



" Wake me not, my fairy Lillian, 

For my dreams are sweet tonight 
In this cottage by the ocean, 

Flooded by the young moon's light. 
Dreaming of my early manhood. 

Where my life was one sweet song, 
On the high sea's rolling billows, 

When the days were bright and long. 

" Hark ! again I hear the fog-horn, 

Sounding loud its thunderous roar, 
And I see dark rolls of seaweed 

Stranded on the golden shore ; 
And I hear the breakers dashing 

On the smooth black rocks again, 
And it fills my soul with gladness. 

Like some tender sweet refrain. 

"And I see my yacht, 'The Dorrit,' 
With her snow white silver sail, 

Rocking, tossing in the harbor, 

Through the moon's bright pearly veil. 



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And I hear her brave lads singing, 
Singing of the land and sea, 

And the glories told of heaven 
Where my darlings wait for me. 

"So wake me not, my fairy Lillian, 

Let me dream forevermore, 
'Till we meet in God's bright heaven. 

On that peaceful golden shore ; 
'Till we've crossed life's stormy billows 

To that endless joy and rest, 
Where we'll lean our heads to slumber, 

On a Father's gentle breast." 



A Cloudlet. 



A cloud arose one opal morn 

Out of the purple west ; 
A white cloud, like a lily bloom 

Tossed by the winds behest ; 
Higher and higher it mounted up, 

Up through the endless space, 
And before it vanished from sight 

It formed an angel's face. 

Could it be some soul passing home, 

Which God had forgiven. 
And rose from the grave of dust and mold, 

To live again in heaven ? 
I love to think that it was so — 

For sweet is the thought to me, 
Of a soul going home to rest 

Through all eternity. 



lO 



The Way of Lif«, 



I Stand upon a rocky shore 

And gaze upon the rolling sea, 

And watch the waves with snow}^ fangs 
Like horess fretting to be free. 

I think of life's tempestuous deep 
With all its sorrow and its pain, 

Its ups and downs, its frets and frowns. 
So like the mighty, rolling main. 

Yet life is what we shape it to 

From day to day, through all the year ; 

The man who sows but wasted hours, 
Must reap full man}^ a bitter tear. 

And so it is with yonder sea, 

When maddened by the wind's deep roar, 
It grasps the ship and snaps its masts. 
And hurls it on the stormy shore. 



II 



But when the faint and fragrant breeze 
(Like angels' sighs) is in the air, 

The ocean murmurs sweet and low, 
Like bees among the roses rare. 

'Tis thus in every human life 

When deeds of love are gently sov/n ; 

We reap a joy no tongue can tell. 

We find our strength in faith has grown. 

So life in life, and death in death, 

Holds many a song and many a sigh ; 

But still the soul that lives for God, 
Shall reap the harvest by and by. 



12 



Courage is Ki05* 



In life's weary battle as onward you go, 

Striving for Jesus to conquer the foe, 
Be true to the Master, the sword of faith swing ; 

Remember this motto — Courage is King! 

The sway of the battle will be hard to win, 

For Satan was ever the master of sin ; 
But onward ! my brother, to Christ ever cling, 

For He is thy leader — Courage is King ! 

Tho' the heel of Satan grinds the weak in the dust, 
And the ways of the wicked seem ever unjust. 

The ranks cannot always be kept 'neath his wing ; 
So take up this motto — Courage is King ! 

If we are but faithful, valiant and strong, 

With shoulder to shoulder, we'll conquer the wrong, 

So rush into battle, the sword of faith swing. 
Determined to conquer — Courage is King! 



13 
The Dan^ascu^ Sword. 



It hangs above the mantle 

With other swords and spears, 
And a battered helmet eaten 

With rust of many years ; 
The hilt is silver, studded 

With fiery rubies three. 
The sheath is set with opals, 

And carven ivory. 

I longed to know it's story 

And all it might reveal, 
As I gazed one summer evening 

Upon its tarnished steel ; 
And lo, I saw a vision, 

A castle gray and old. 
And a maiden in the gateway, 

With locks of streaming gold. 

Beside her stood a gallant, 

Ablaze in silver mail. 
With purple, plumed helmet, 

But he was stern and pale ; 



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And she was weeping softly 
The while unto his side, 

She bound the sword I cherish, 
And bade it be his pride. 

He spoke in tender accents 

Beneath the sunset sky, 
And in her ear he whispered 

A last, a fond good-by ; 
She watched him from the terrace, 

Where often they had met, 
In morning's dewy splendor. 

Or evening's starry jet. 

Next, overgrown with ivy 

And roses white and red, 
I saw a cross of marble. 

And knew that she was dead ; 
And then I saw at twilight 

A dreary battlefield. 
And a soldier stark and silent 

Upon his dented shield. 



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And then, as in a vapor, 

The vision passed away, 
But I know the touching story 

Of the ancient sword to-day ; 
It hangs within my study, 

And the wealth of land or sea 
Can never, never purchase 

That rusted blade from me. 



The Stars and Stripes. 



The stars and stripes forever shall wave 

O'er the land of the brave and true. 
And the blessings of God will hallow 

Our boys, 'neath its star spangled blue. 
For out of the heart of the brave lads. 

Deep pangs for sweet peace ever grew. 
So they plotted and pledged together. 

To do what a nation should do. 

For off in far distant Cuba's fair isle 
Came a cry from over the wave, 

From the hearts of the brave true Cubans, 
Their nation from Spain to help save. 



i6 



The cry was one, long, pitiful plea, 
And was echoed from shore to shore, 

'Till heart of the Godloved Americans, 
Could turn from their pleadings no more. 

The stars and the stripes are waving to-day 

O'er that land so distressed with pain. 
And the cruel wounds are healed once more. 

That was pierced by the hand of Spain. 
And in the dawn of a golden morn, 

' Neath the gleam of bright silver stars, 
Cuba shall lift her head, and behold. 

Her tower of strength — its crimson bars ! 

And out of the rough and trampled sod 

Her nation shall thrive once again, 
When the horrors of war are ended. 

And peace through the is)and shall reign. 
The stars and the stripes forever shall wave 

O'er the land of the brave and true. 
And the blessings of God will hallow. 

Our boys 'neath its star spangled-blue. 



17 
Who S2iys Tber^ is No God ? 



Oh, who can stand in the morning time 
And watch the pearly clouds that fly, 

With borders of sparkling, gleaming dew 
Against the soft, clear azure sky. 

Or listen to amber babbling brooks 

As they glide 'mid banks of golden-rod, 

And say from the depth of an honest heart. 
There is no God ! 

Or who can stand in the noontime hour 
And breathe the air from meadows blown, 

And gaze on the mountains' purple range 
And behold a peak — a great white throne, 

Or the inmost leaf of the lily bud, 

Mt. Washington, keeping silent ward, 

And say from the depth of an honest heart, 
There is no God ! 

Or who can stand in the springtime sweet 
And breathe the fragrant, rich perfume, 

From the buds of the trees that open. 
And the flowers that burst in bloom. 



i8 



And hear the song of the lark that sings 

To his mate on the evergreen sod, 
And say from the depth of an honest heart, 
There is no God ! 

Or who can stand at the evening hour 
And gaze on the quiet peaceful night, 

And watch in the heaven the planets burn 
And blaze, a silver trembling light ; 

Or watch the moon o'er the hills arise. 
Like a slender diamond-crusted rod. 

And say from the depth of an honest heart, 
There is no God ! 

Or who can stand by the death-bed side 
And watch the last departing breath. 

And cross the thin white hands in prayer. 
And give sweet love to Angel Death, 

And lay the form, so beloved, away 

Beneath the snows and beneath the sod, 

And say from the depth of an honest heart. 
There is no God ! 



19 

Eternity. 

From out the dark and rolling sea 

I hear a voice above the wave ; 
A soul that could not rest within 

Its broad, upheaving, watery grave. 
The voice forever says to me — 

Beware, young man ! beware, young man ! 
Eternity ! 

And in the darkness of the night 

While all the world is slumbering sweet, 

Dim ghostly forms in mouldy shrouds, 
Rise up before me, and repeat 

This warning o'er and o'er to me — 

Beware, young man ! beware, young man ! 
Eternity ! 

And with the wailing wind it comes 
And moans and sighs about my door , 

'Tis God's own message to the lost. 
'Tis sent to me from heaven's shore, 

And bids my captive soul be free, 

Beware, young man ! beware, young man ! 
Eternity ! 



20 



Awake ! awake ! my trembling soul 

And from the throne, O, hear God call, 

And bow before the mercy seat. 

And crown him always, Lord of all ; 

And hear him gently say to thee — 
A crown of life is thine, my child, 
Eternally. 



To Our Brave Y0U05 Soldiers. 



Brave lads from the state of New Hampshire, 

Press onward to battle, I pray, 
Wave the emblem of peace toward heaven 

In the battles fierce combat and sway. 
Be strong and be earnest and valiant. 

Be upright, kind-hearted and true. 
And remember that o'er you is waving, 

The banner of red, white and blue. 

'Twas only by toil and by conflict 
That the fiercest of battles were won. 

When those who were fighting for freedom, 
Bowed the enemy, one by one. 



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And 'twas only by toil and conflict 

That the veterans of old came through, 

And triumphantly stood there together, 
'Neath the banner of red, white and blue. 

So onward, dear comrades to battle ; 

With courage and faith, you shall gain 
The enemy's flag, in the combat, 

Though their shot and shells fall like rain. 
Then Cuba shall stand in her glory. 

Made free by the hearts stanch and true, 
That fought for her peace and freedom, 

'Neath the banner of red, white and blue. 



22 



Brotberly Love. 



Like a gorgeous rose at evening, 
Dipped the sun a-down the west, 

Flashing rays of scarlet splendor 
On a dying captain's breast, 

While about him, stood his comrades, 
And he took them by the hand : 

''Be true to your country's flag, boys- 
Be true to your native land ! " 

Then on the dreary battle-field. 

As in splendor died the day. 
In slumber sweet and painlessly 

He breathed his life away ; 
As night came on with its blackness. 

Pierced through with a blazing star, 
And the sweet notes of a bugle 

Echoed from the hills afar. 



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To-day on that silent hillside 

A marble slab bears his name ; 
But he, long ago has mouldered 

Back to dust, from which he came. 
But o'er him waves the crimson flag 

With silver stars against the blue, 
To show that in the land to-day. 

Our brave young lads still are true. 



Tb^ Davn of Peace, 



No more the cannon's black smoke rolh 

Along the mountain's crest, 
And hangeth like a funeral pall 

Over the ocean's breast. 
For out of it all a seraph rose 

From blood, and fire, and smoke, 
And mounted up on pearly wings 

And to a nation spoke 



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"Thy people has suffered, Cuba I 

Far more than tongue can tell, 
Like a prisoner under fetters, 

Bound in a dungeon-cell. 
But out from the throne in heaven 

God bids the war to cease ; 
And sends me here to bear the news 

I am thy dawn of peace !" 

The dawn of peace was like a rose 

' Neath veilu of pearly dew ; 
A rainbow forms across the sky, 

Its red, its white, its blue. 
And in the trees the happy birds 

Their songs will never cease, 
Since Cuba, in her sore distress, 

Once more can live in peace. 



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